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Here in Western Australia its pretty different. All team sheets are submitted by clubs online, and we just take take the numbers of anyone cautioned and enter them after the game. We have rolling subs so no need to keep those details. We do however have to make a note of scorers' shirt...

It seems strange to me that any league would let a referee take on a game without making sure they have given them full details about team sheets and exactly what the ref needs to submit later.

Interesting historical note: in 1882 a rule was introduced that if a player other than the goalkeeper prevented a goal by handling, and the referee was sure that a goal would have resulted, he may still award it as if scored (the penalty kick was still about 8 years away). There was a huge...

I found it very encouraging that in the match as broadcast to Australia, the commentator actually described the tackle by saying "that's clearly using excessive force and it is obviously endangering the safety of the opponent" and agreed it was a clear red.

I am old enough to remember running the line back in the 70s. Whatever the exact wording of the Law was, the way it was applied meant that if a player was anywhere near the flight of the ball (within about 50 yards, and I kid you not) then the flag went up immediately, whether the player...

The Sheffield Rules as stated had no offside for a number of years. What it led to was a couple of attacking players being left constantly up by the opponent's goal. They were known as "kick-throughs" and the tactic evolved of just hoofing long balls up the pitch for them to run on to...

On a slightly side note, why on earth do UK counties make referees have to try and collect money after the game? Of course you will then get occasions like this where coaches upset over what they think is bad officiating will give trouble over payment. Why put refs through this? Here in...

I always pace from one goal to the other checking penalty area, goal area sizes etc. Once, a few years ago, I discovered a pitch whrere on half was TEN metres longer than the other! Checked it a couple of times to make sure. Spoke to guy standing around who turned out to be groundsman! He...

Well, here's a thought: this whole mess could be sorted if we accepted that the only advantage in the final third of the pitch is a goal. If the non-offending team don't score...back we come for the free kick (or penalty). And to all those who scream about "two bites at the cherry", look at...

No, it is quite clear in Law 10: "If the goalkeeper throws the ball directly into the opponents’ goal, a goal kick is awarded." I reckon this would also cover punching the ball. And a goalkeeper cannot be carded for any handling offences in their own PA

Just for historical accuracy: the first great rewrite was in the late 30's when the laws were codified into the format we still use (until then for example, offside was in Law 6). 1997 was technically the second great rewrite and 2016 the third. It's an interesting progression: Laws first...

If we consider that matter in terms of simple logic, you are totally correct. But sadly history shows that for centuries this "perfectly acceptable defining characteristic" was used as an excuse to treat people with the wrong colour skin as second class, unworthy of equal rights, and even to...

Giving a throw to the wrong team cannot be an error in Law unless the referee says "throw goes to the last player to touch the ball". Just making a mistake about who touched the ball last is an error in fact - and in errors of the referee's word is final.

Is it any more bizarre than the goalkeeper catching an attacker's shot heading for goal gets huge praise, a defender catching the same shot gets a red card (and gives away a penalty)? It's all just part of the special privilege in Law extended to a keeper.

Certainly there is dissent here and a definite YC, but before going for red be careful: you use the phrase "foul and abusive language", but the word "foul" (about language at least) was removed from the Laws many years ago. So I would suggest that the lawmakers really want us to focus on the...

You may well be right, but until the LOTG define it otherwise, I shall take the team who last touched the ball as the team in possession. It means I can apply the drop ball laws without moving into the realms of conjecture or supposition.

Before the ball touched the referee it was last touched by green, so green is technically in possession. It then goes to another green player, so possession does not change. So unless this begins a promising attack for green, we play on.

Years ago, when I was still just a club AR, I had a corner right in front of me. The ball was kicked smack into near goal post (without leaving the field of play too) and rebounded to the corner taker. My flag was up in an instant. I was actually slightly miffed that the ref was alive to the...

Do we all notice the change in the way we discuss Handball now? Many refs on this site accept that by the letter of the new Law this was handball, even though many here do think it's ridiculous that it should be. In the past, when it was left just to the opinion of the referee there was never...

Here in Australia a bag of sand costs under 5 dollars (about 2 pounds) and can sort out any divots, rabbit holes or (as here) metal caps. Seems like a sensible thing to have in the boot of your car...